HIGH POINT, N.C. (Interstat) — A stark contrast in fortunes will be on display Wednesday when the surging High Point Panthers host the struggling Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs in a Big South Conference men’s basketball matchup at Qubein Arena.

The Panthers (14-3) enter as one of the conference’s hottest teams, having won seven of their last eight games. Their lone loss in that stretch was an overtime road defeat at Appalachian State. High Point is coming off an 80-67 home victory over Longwood on Saturday, powered by a standout performance from guard Terry Anderson. The junior scored 29 points and grabbed eight rebounds, continuing a dominant stretch where he has averaged 18.4 points over his last five contests.

Conversely, Gardner-Webb (2-15) seeks to halt a five-game skid, with their only wins this season coming against lower-division Brevard and Toccoa Falls. The Runnin’ Bulldogs fell 88-77 at Winthrop on Saturday despite a career-high 29 points from guard Spence Sims. Sims has emerged as a bright spot, averaging 16.4 points over his last five games, including two performances of 29 and 13 points.

High Point’s offense has been prolific, scoring 93 or more points in four of its last six home games. The Panthers’ defense has also been formidable, holding opponents to an average of 63.2 points during their current three-game win streak. Gardner-Webb has faced consistent defensive challenges, allowing 83.8 points per game this season.

The Panthers have dominated recent non-conference play at Qubein Arena, while Gardner-Webb has struggled on the road, losing all eight away contests this season by an average margin of 24.5 points. This game opens the conference slate for both teams, with High Point aiming to establish early dominance and Gardner-Webb desperate to find a turnaround.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. EST Wednesday. Following this game, High Point will travel to face Charleston Southern on Saturday, while Gardner-Webb returns home to host Radford on Jan. 14. The teams are scheduled to meet again in High Point on Feb. 14.